Meant For Greatness
by Nemesis13
Summary: Narcissa Malfoy had never given her son's rants about the Girl-Who-Lived much credence, and it wasn't until cousin Sirius escaped from Azkaban that she really considered Harriet Potter's place in her world view. When she meets an intelligent, talented, and completely irreverent witch where her son had only seen mediocrity, Narcissa instead finds her sassy and sarcastic protégé.
1. Meeting of Minds

**INSOMNIA! This is a mentor Narcissa fic as she takes mostly cannon Harr(iet) under her wing while wondering exactly what the hell Lucius is teaching their son.**

 **Aside from the genderbend the major deviation is that Sirius actually revealed himself and Harriet accepted him into her life.**

 **Like I said, sleep addled story, enjoy.**

* * *

Lady Narcissa Malfoy nee Black was rather enjoying her day out with her husband and son, Diagon Alley may not be Paris but it still held a charm that reminded her of her more carefree youthful days. Draco of course was trying to drag them off to look at the newest racing brooms, which Lucius would likely acquiescence after a time. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes at her boys' actions as they weaved through the crowd that spread like the sea before them as if they were the prophet from that muggle bible thing.

Boring read that, but if Andromeda felt it had been important enough to be aware of far be it from her to argue the point. Outcast or not Andi was always considered the most dangerous of the Black sisters and even their own bastard father had been weary of angering her further than he already had.

Considering his right testicle hadn't been up for negotiation when Andi had found out he tried to bind her to a marriage contract, Narcissa wasn't surprised at his reticence in the slightest.

What had inspired her older sister to curse a garlic press like that was still something that she didn't fully understand, but the simple fact that whenever it was brought up during Death Eater meetings all men present shivered in revulsion and tried to change the subject, she'd just take it as a well thought out counter measure and leave it at that.

"Mother look! They've put cousin Sirius' wanted poster back up, and increased the bounty too!"

Glancing in the direction her son was pointing Narcissa frowned as she watched the animated bit of parchment while doing her level best not to overtly react to the sorrowful mania the man was expressing in the picture. She knew her cousin well, and those were not the eyes of a madman, nothing like the gaze of her eldest sister Bellatrix, they were lost, unguided, heartbroken.

Oh Sirius...

"Well what are we to expect from a monster? Come along Draco," Lucius stated as he dragged their son along knocking her from her reverie.

Sirius Black, there was no way in any world that man had actually betrayed cousin Jamie, and the fact her husband found his incarceration amusing said more than it did not. Remembering her families words she did her best to keep her anger below the surface, as always, and she did her best to be the perfect wife and daughter of Black, just doing her best to let life pass her by.

That is until her son's tone took on an edge she did not at all approve of.

"Potter, fancy meeting you here."

The returning voice was filled with nothing short of scorn and contempt which brought Narcissa to a shocked halt.

"Malfoy, how's things? Able to tie your own shoes without a house elf to help you yet? If so, progress."

Draco sneered, he _sneered_ at the slip of a girl dressed in over sized rags standing before him with her arms crossed and head held high, the massive black dog at her side growling quietly enough that her son didn't seem to notice its presence.

"I'm fully capable of taking care of myself _Potter_ , I do not need a servent to survive on my own."

Much to Narcissa's surprise the girl laughed in return, "Uh huh, I believe that, you believe that too right Snuffles?" The dog chuffed in turn causing the wavy haired ravenette to laugh again while nodding to herself slowly, "Yeah we believe that."

Draco stood ramrod straight as he slowly pulled his wand from his pocket, "I do not need to take this kind of abuse from a blood traitor orphan, back off Potter."

What. The. Hell.

What was her son playing at here? Why the hell wasn't Lucius saying anything to stop their boy from causing a massive social faux pas?

This was the heiress to an Ancient Noble line he was talking down to! A line that had been ancient when the Blacks had first offered an alliance to them before the Romans even invaded the British Isles!

Much to her surprise though Harriet Potter only grinned as she drew her own wand, her emerald eyes taking on an ambiant glow as she twirled the length of wood between her dainty fingers while she took a step forward.

"What are ya gonna do this time little dragon? Threaten me with daddy? Have him plant a cursed diary on my best mates little sister again? Or maybe you'll run to mummy this time since daddy couldn't off me when he tried to cast the killing curse on me?"

What in the world was going on here?

"Come on Malfoy, I'm not a bound house elf, say what you really want to say you inbred little shit." The girls contempt was practically palpable at this point.

Narcissa moved to grab her son from this insane girl's presence when he finally spat out, "At least my Godfather didn't sell out my parents and leave me with muggles and mudbloods!"

The following crack of Draco's nose breaking was audible across the alley as her son fell to the ground in a spray of blood, and while the girl standing over him was intimidating it was the surrounding area the brought everyone, including Narcissa, pause.

Hoarfrost was forming across windows, down walls, onto the cobbled streets, and as the area grew colder Harriet Potter's eyes grew brighter, a sneer mirroring her sons earlier visage curling across her lips the entire time.

"You dare?"

Both she and Lucius rushed forward as the girl grabbed Draco by his tie and pulled him up to her eye level while smearing her free hand across his face. As the adults came to a stop the girl spread her bloody fingers before their son while laughing lightly.

"Look at that dear cousin, your blood is just as red as mine, funny that. Calvary is here, run back to mummy and daddy, at least you still have yours to do that. Come on Snuffles, the twins are waiting for us at the book store."

With that the thirteen year old girl let go of their son and walked away as her massive dog followed her, gently licking Draco's blood from her fingertips in the process.

The entire time Narcissa did her best to remain poised and perfectly collected, and eventually, for the first time in her life, lost her calm and turned to her bloody faced son and quickly spat out her thoughts of the last few minutes.

"What. Is. Wrong. With. You?"

"Mother I-"

"What, did you do, to that girl, to make her first response to an altercation, be to punch you?"

Draco glanced at Lucius, who for his part damned himself by glancing away, then turned back to his mother who only raised a brow in turn. Eventually, shoulders slumping he wiped away some of the blood from his nose with his sleeve before muttering out, "I...may have accidently insulted her parents before I even knew who she was."

Taking a page from her estranged sister, Narcissa couldn't help muttering, "Goddamnit..."

* * *

"So you punched Draco Malfoy in front of his own parents," George asked in an amused tone.

"Yarp," Fred sidled up next to her as he snaked an arm around her shoulders grinning manically in the process.

"And no one so much as reprimanded you?"

Harriet grinned viciously at her brother in all but blood while attempting to read the book in her hands, "His mum started berating him the moment I left her sight. T'was glorious lads, glorious."

The Weasley twins broke out laughing as they both kissed Harriet's cheeks at once earning them an eye roll as they turned to leave the reading room.

"Well don't be starting anymore fights you hear me young miss?"

"If you do so mum might find out!"

"And if she does we'll never here the end of it."

"Because she'll blame us for it!"

"And we will _gladly_ take the blame!"

Doing her best not to break out laughing at her adoptive brothers antics Harriet turned to grab a book on ancient runes when she found herself eye to bosom with Draco's mother.

Not meaning much by it she jumped a step back and felt the comfortable weight of the knife Sirius had given her shortly after he had introduced himself fall into her left hand as she snatched out her wand in her right.

The blonde woman stared at her a few moments and Harriet just stared back, eventually she twirled the knife between her fingers and held it in an underhand grip as she brought it before her.

"What do you want?"

Narcissa stared at her a few moments longer before letting out a tired sigh, "Do you have any idea how much you remind me of your grandmother?"

Harriet blinked rapidly at that statement before turning her confused gaze back at the Malfoy matriarch, "Who?"

The blonde witch's response sounded pained as she ground out, "You don't know who Dorea Potter nee Black is...do you?" Glancing towards her Godfather's animagus form she realized he looked amused rather than alarmed, and thus decided to just roll with it.

"Up until I was eleven I was told my parents were drug addict drunks who got themselves killed in a car accident, as far as I'm concerned I have no family beyond that..."

Narcissa let out a withering sigh before shaking her head and extending her hand towards the girl before her, "Ah...Well... I'm you're cousin, Narcissa Malfoy-"

"I'm aware of who that assholes mother is thank you."

Nonplussed Narcissa continued unabated, "-And despite what my son may have made you believe, I wish nothing more than to be a friend, a family member to you."

Harriet stared at the blonde a few minutes, turned her gaze to the amused dog in the corner, and eventually shrugged, "All right, keep your boys on a leash and we'll talk."

Narcissa smiled in return, "It is all I ask, Lady Potter."

"Err...Lady? What do you mean by that?"

Narcissa couldn't help it, she let out a resigned sigh as the dog in the corner seemed to have a coughing fit.

Funny enough, Dumbledore had never quite planned for _this_ turn of events to unfold.


	2. A Debt Owed and Repaid

**Lucky you! No really, I was woken up at 4:30 by a crying child (those of you who read A Life Twice Lived and read the authors note know why _that_ is a thing) so I punched this out. I'm sure the pacing is terrible and the grammar needs work but considering I got this done in...oh about an hour? Going with an hour here, I'm not too concerned. Regardless the response from the first chapter was amazing so I decided this would get some love from me, especially since I like where this Narcissa and Harri(et) are going.**

 **They complement each other fairly well, and yes, she'll figure out who the dog is soon enough, Cissa is not an idiot and Sirius is not nearly as subtle as he'd like to think he is.**

 **Anywho, ENJOY!**

* * *

Narcissa sipped the now lukewarm tea held in her hand as the teenage witch across from her absorbed all she had told her about her station and place in the world. To say that Harriet Potter was surprised would likely be along the lines of saying that the Atlantic ocean was a body of water.

Accurate, but it really didn't convey the enormity of the situation.

Staring at her own untouched tea, seated at one of the classiest cafe's in all of magical London, said young lady was scowling in concentration, obviously stewing on the older witch's revelations. Eventually she tapped the side of her cup and muttered the blood boiling curse bringing it back to proper temperature, the wandless Dark Art surprising, impressing, and amusing the Black scion.

Most certainly like Auntie Dorea.

Sipping her tea Harriet placed the cup back on her saucer before letting out a tired sigh.

"So... The Potter family is one of the thirteen founding families who established the Wizards Council, which eventually evolved into the Wizangamot."

"Correct," Narcissa replied with a nod.

"We're technically nobility but we don't do the whole duke, marquess, earl, baron thing, right?"

The blonde witch smiled as she nodded again, "Correct, there is not really a ranking system to our nobility, there is only the head of house distinction."

Harriet glanced out the window to watch her dog chasing squirrels across the street in the park before turning back to Narcissa, "And since I'm the only Potter left, I'm also the head of my house regardless of anything else. So instead of being Lady Harriet, I'm Lady Potter."

"Correct again."

Harriet remained quiet for a time before she let out an annoyed snort, "So why am I only hearing about this now? Why the hell didn't anyone tell me I'm freaking nobility?! I mean do I have social responsibility, do I have land with tenants I was supposed to be maintaining, have I accidentally been alienating ancient allies without knowing it? I mean...Morgana..."

Narcissa reached across the table and took the distraught teens clenched fists into her hands while giving them a gentle squeeze, her smile hopefully conveying the peace she wished her companion to feel.

"Why no one told you, I do not know. Honestly it is such common knowledge those surrounding you likely thought you already knew, and simply did not care, your father certainly did not at your age. As for your social standing, your debut is not until the Ministries Summer ball in two months time, just before you ship off back to Hogwarts. As for the tenants thing I do not know, we'll have to go to Gringott's to get that sorted out. Alienating ancient allies..."

Narcissa worried her lip here a moment before letting out a sigh, "The Blacks and Longbottoms were the Dark and Light families that the Potters use to be the balance point between. They were for centuries your family's stanchest allies, now..."

Harriet snorted in a very unlady like manner while finishing her tea and shaking her head in disdain.

"Now the Lord and Lady Longbottom are brain dead, Nev's got his overbearing grandmother doing her best to smother him, and the Blacks are all but dead while the fucking ministry is attempting to murder their Lord. Wonderful."

"Language, young lady..." She paused, scowled, then met the young witch's gaze evenly, "What do you mean murder the house of Blacks Lord?"

The ravenette smirked ruefully as she leaned back into her chair glancing back out to the park, "If you're curious, look up the trial of Sirius Black, you might find it interesting."

Sirius...

"Why would I find it interesting Lady Potter?"

She grinned in turn, "If we're going to be friends, please call me Harri, everyone I care about does. As for the trial, its nonexistence should set off a few alarm bells I think."

"Cissa, call me Cissa..." She murmured back as she processed what Harriet had said to her.

Sirius, he hadn't been given a trial?

She hadn't realized she had spoken that aloud until Harri responded to her, "He wasn't even charged. No charges, no trial, no conviction, just sent to Azkaban and forgotten. Funny enough, it was the same day your husband 'donated' enough money to the ministry to add an entire wing to Saint Mungo's. Convenient."

Narcissa wasn't sure what to say to that as she fiddled with her now empty teacup, deciding not to dwell on it she changed the subject quickly, "Those things you said to my son, about what my husband did. Were they true?"

Shifting her oversized clothes about a bit Harri pushed her hideous glasses up her nose while letting out an amused snort, "Well yeah. After I destroyed the Horcrux Lucius planted on Ginny Weasley, incidentally also killing the basilisk it had unleashed on the school, I stuck one of my socks between its pages and tricked your husband into handing it off to Dobby. He wasn't amused that I lost him his elf so he tried to kill me but Dobby laid him out on his arse for the effort."

Narcissa couldn't breath.

Her eyes were rapidly blinking, her heart was clenching, and her mind was reeling.

"Did...did you just say my husband planted a Horcrux on a little girl...and released a basilisk in a school our _son_ was attending and then tried to murder _you_?"

"As Ron would say, yarp."

"How...how do you even know what a horcrux is?"

Harri raised a brow at that before shrugging, "A recent friend told me what Voldemort's diary was after I described the events to him, apparently horcruxes were dinner table discussion topics in his family."

Narcissa suddenly needed something far stronger than tea.

"You destroyed it, the Dark Lord's _horcrux_ and you...you killed a basilisk that was threatening the school?"

Harri smirked, pulled up her sleeve, and revealed the large still red scar on her forearm, "Bitch left her mark. What I get for killing the damn thing with a sword, not like I had a _choice_ but yeah. Dead, thank Circe that phoenix likes me or I'd be well and truly dead as well at this point."

Narcissa stared at the girl a few moments then stood, dropping coins on the table she grabbed Harri and walked towards the door, the startled girl letting out a yelp as they exited the cafe.

"What the hell Cissa!?"

"It appears I owe you more then I realized...and Lucius is more deserving of sleeping on the couch then I suspected. Call your dog, I'm taking you shopping."

"Shopping?" She said this with a hint of horror as the large black dog cantered across the street and sat down before them.

"Shopping," Narcissa stated flatly as she grabbed the girl and dog apprating them to her favorite shopping district.

Their first stop saw Harriet losing her glasses permanently, the specialized apothecary had near force fed her a potion that removed her nearsightedness which had her reeling. Apparently everyone thought her rags and glasses were a fashion statement and had never bothered telling her about the easily acquired potion.

Magicals, Harriet reflected not for the first time, were idiots.

The next stop was a healer who, upon taking a look at Harriet's scar on her forehead forced her onto an operating table after very little instruction on her part, mostly consisting of "What the fuck are you doing!?" The woman hit her with a numbing charm, cut the scar off her forehead which was just disconcerting, threw the flap of flesh into an oven that soon emitted an unholy scream, and then hit her with a stitching charm.

She was released a few moments later and the now flabbergasted teen was dragged further along by her guide, her dog following behind looking oddly concerned.

"What the hell was that?!" She finally managed to get out, Narcissa just glanced at her and shrugged.

"You're recognized by your glasses and scar, are you saying you wanted to keep them?"

"Why the hell did it scream?"

Narcissa didn't respond immediately but eventually she muttered, "I have no idea...but really...do you want to know yourself?"

Harriet stared at her a few moments before asking, "Where are you dragging me to next?"

"A lady needs dresses, and shoes, we _must_ get you some proper shoes."

Harriet let out a light whimper as she glanced towards Sirius, his doggy gaze conveying his sympathy as she was dragged into magical London's premier tailor shop.

Padfoot let out a huff as he rested in the shadows of the store, feeling terrible for his goddaughter, and wishing more than he'd like to admit for a beer.

It was going to be a very long day for Lord Black and Lady Potter, because when Cissa went shopping, she went _shopping._


	3. Okay You Saw That Horcrux Right?

**Woke up at three in the morning, couldn't fall back to sleep, wrote this in a half hour, hope you like it. Enjoy folks and I hope it answers a few questions in the process.**

* * *

Harriet was exhausted, and regardless of that she couldn't get the stupid grin off her face as she passed a shops mirrored front getting another good look at herself in the process.

Under Cissa's ministrations she'd been put into a dark blue dress with low heels, silently thanking Parvati for the training on how to walk in said shoes, and had her hair and makeup done along with her nails.

She felt so, damn, _pretty!_ Harriet never thought she'd see the day where she would be so bloody happy about it either being the tomboy that she was. Even though their shopping spree had taken hours, and she was fairly certain it spanned continents, the Girl-Who-Lived would not trade the experience for anything.

Eyes misting she sniffled and turned from the mirrored window quickly and rushed after her friend as the older witch tutted along, Padfoot on her heels looking highly amused at Harri's smile growing broader as the day went on.

It wilted a bit when she realized if she stopped smiling, she would likely break down crying, only two other people had ever made her feel this complete, this...normal. One of them was an overbearing bookworm that she would gladly give her life to protect, the other was a prison escapee fugitive of the law... so she focused on the socialite in front of her instead.

"Cissa, am... Am I pretty?"

That...hadn't been what she meant to say.

Narcissa paused regardless, turned around, and raised a hand to run her fingers across Harri's cheek lightly pinching her chin in the process. Tilting the younger witch's head up to meet her gaze she grinned down at her nearly touching noses in the process.

"No little one," Harri wanted to curl in on herself with shame then she brightened as Narcissa continued with, "You're gorgeous. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise." Grinning as Cissa released her chin she trotted after her as they explored more stores with French names she didn't understand feeling more alive then she ever had in her entire life.

By the end of the day, Narcissa Malfoy escorted a beautiful young woman ladened down with bags to her room at the Leaky Cauldron while they were being tailed by said witch's dog. No one, not even the Weaselys recognized said young woman as one Harriet Potter, for which she was eternally grateful for.

"You need a soak and a meal I think," Narcissa stated fondly, Harri only grinned in turn as she plopped down on her bed as heavily as such a slip of girl could.

"Can it wait Cissa? I'm still feeling so energized! Did you want to do anything else tonight?!"

Narcissa only chuckled as she dug through the various shopping bags for salts and soaps heading into the loo to start the bath water. "Always tomorrow little one and I guarantee you're going to start feeling soreness in at least your feet in the next few minutes. I've started a bath, hop in and I'll order a meal for us but please take your time dear."

Harri shot up, glanced at the steam roiling out of the bathroom longingly, then gave Cissa brief kiss on the cheek and a 'Thank you!' before disappearing into said room followed by a slamming door.

Chuckling Narcissa sat there a few moments, and when it was clear the young teen was not coming back out any time soon she turned and met the dog's gaze.

"Sirius we need to talk."

Padfoot froze as Narcissa stared him down, she rolled her eyes and pointed to the table and chairs beside her, "Oh don't look so surprised you were never as subtle as you thought and even your animagus form has the Black family eyes. You just got lucky that most of the magical world is effectivally too moronic to notice. Now switch back and take a seat you mutt."

The dog stared up at her a few moments before huffing, then soon shifted to a tall long haired man with a goatee, dressed in an AC/DC t-shirt, bomber jacket, and blue jeans. Tapping one combat boot clad foot on the ground he let out an annoyed huff as he crossed his arms as he smirked at the blonde witch before him ruefully.

"Was it really that obvious?"

Narcissa scoffed at that, "Well aside from the fact that your Goddaughter was practically advertising that she was in close contact with you, you must keep in mind one thing."

"Oh, what's that?"

She smirked in turn, "You were my favorite cousin when growing up and I could never forget those eyes."

They stared at each other for a few moments longer when Sirius eventually snatched her from her chair and pulled her into a hug that she happily returned.

"I missed you Snooty."

"I missed you Obnoxious."

Placing his cousin on the ground he was still smiling until her own grin faded and she tilted her head to the side in concern, "Sirius. Cursed scar tissue does not _scream_ when cremated in a concecrated oven..."

He winced and turned his gaze towards the bathroom his Goddaughter was currently occupying, "No, it doesn't."

"There was a reason I distracted her with all that inane shopping. The flesh from her scar _screamed_ in agony while being purged. You know what that means cousin of mine..."

Sirius grimaced at that while shaking his head in near denial, "How though? There is no way in hell someone would be insane enough to make a little girl their...their fucking _Horcrux!_ "

Narcissa worried her lip as she shook her head slowly, "Purposely? No. Especially since he hit Godric's Hallow with the full intent of wiping the Potters out."

Sirius whimpered, Narcissa pulled him into another hug before continuing.

"I think it was on accident," he whispered out, causing the blonde witch to freeze in his grasp.

"How?" The word carried with it the weight of a thousand worlds, and his reply outdid it.

"He had to have made more than one to destabilize his soul to that point..."

Narcissa's world shattered as she realized her husband had sworn her family to a man who had committed the ultimate taboo not once, but at the very least, _twice_. To top it off if he was so unstable that he accidentally turned a little girl into one of his soul jars...

Her train of thought was derailed as a grinning Harriet stepped out of the steaming bathroom wrapped in a towel and quickly came to a dead stop seeing Sirius and Narcissa standing next to each other.

Sirius looked back and forth between the two witches before shrugging, "Pepperoni and bell peppers sound good for you kiddo? Local pizza place does something special with the marinara sauce that apparently makes it memorable."

Not missing a beat Harri nodded and marched to her closet, "Onions too, thanks Padfoot."

As the door slammed shut Sirius glanced to a bemused Narcissa while shrugging lightly, "Roommates, what can you do?"

She broke out giggling right there.

Just like Auntie Dorea indeed.

* * *

 **Once again, written in an hour...and it probably needs edited.. Regardless, gonna try and sleep, enjoy!**


	4. Blood is Family, Family is Blood

**_Guess what!? Insomnia! This was actually kind of fun to write since I'm so burnt out from work, Jury Duty (Fucking bullshit) and just the general 94 degrees_** ** _fahrenheit it has been the past week. So yeah, short, but it's something yeah? Anyway, love you guys, please enjoy!_**

* * *

The Lady Potter, Lord Black, and Lady Malfoy, all sat around the worn oak table in their room above the Leaky Cauldron sipping beer, eating pizza, and exchanging stories.

"So anyway, Draco taunts Ron, _again_ , may they eventually just get a room, and Ron yells 'Eat Slugs!' and his wand backfires and he goes flying backwards. I don't honestly know who was more shocked when Ron just starts spewing slugs out onto the pitch while everyone took a step back in horror. It was disgusting, but Draco, and Cissa I have to emphasize this was a one time thing getting me to laugh, stares down at him before muttering, 'Weasley, better in than out, didn't anyone ever tell you?'"

Sirius broke out laughing as Narcissa tittered behind the hand she brought up to cover her face while Harriet giggled to herself taking another bite out of her slice of pizza while calmly reflecting on what a weird day today had been.

That was even in comparison to the madness that had been her third year at Hogwarts.

After she and her friends had failed to catch Pettigrew during last school year, thank you Dementors you unholy undying fuckers, Harri and Sirius hadn't had all that much to laugh at.

This though? This...it made all the trials and tribulations they had to go through to become a real family seem at least somewhat worth it.

"Ok," Narcissa began, red cheeked and giggling after taking a sip from her bottle of Guinness, "This one time Andi and I kept hearing this moaning from the room above us in the middle of the night. Couldn't figure out what it could possibly be since father never stored any of the portraits in the attics and that was the only thing we could figure it could be. After a week or two of this Bella, completely sleep deprived and frustrated beyond words enters our room in the dead of night demanding we follow her to find out what the hell is going on."

Sirius groaned at that knowing exactly where this was going, Narcissa just chuckled in turn.

"So here we are, a thirteen year old, a ten year old, and an eight year old walk into one of the more ancient sealed off guest rooms. Only to find Aunt Cassiopeia _*ahem*_ , _pleasuring_ herself with a cucumber. We open the door and she just stares at us, we stare at her, and she quickly says, ' _You saw nothing!'_ and we were all banished out of the room with one wave of her wand.

"Next day while we're all down in the kitchen for breakfast mum asks what we'd been up to last night, and Bella, sweet Circe Bella meets her gaze evenly and says in a completely deadpan tone 'We learned that _finger food_ can be _quite_ the literal term'."

Harri was vibrating with unrestrained amusement and soon fell on the floor cackling as Sirius pounded the table with his fist with roaring barks of laughter. Wiping his eyes clear he glanced out the window and let out a tired sigh.

"Damn it's late, think you're gonna have to head home soon Prissy." Narcissa sobered up quickly at that as she let out a tired sigh while glancing at the watch hanging off a dainty chain on her wrist.

"You're probably right Obnoxious, I'm already going to have to deal with some...unpleasantries tonight so best to just lance the boil so to speak." Glancing over to Harriet Narcissa rose from her seat and pulled the younger witch into a tight hug, "Talk to you tomorrow ok little one?"

"Ok Cissa, I had fun, and... thanks. The only other witch that ever really looked after me is my best friend and she doesn't really know any more about our world than I do. So really, thanks."

Narcissa smirked in return as she kissed the girls brow before turning towards the door, "It was my pleasure dear, now get some sleep."

As Narcissa left the room Harri slipped back into her makeshift wardrobe and changed into her sky blue cotton pajamas covered in flitting golden snitches and pouncing kneazles before crashing on her bed. A moment later a massive black dog landed beside her and she wrapped her arms around his neck holding the shaggy beast close.

Not a minute later both Godfather and daughter were fast asleep, dead to the world.

* * *

As Narcissa Malfoy flooed home she felt the enjoyment of the evening burn away as she prowled towards her bedchambers, a calm fury replacing her joyful calm as she came to a stop before the fine oaken doors.

Steeling herself she pushed her insecurities aside as she slammed the doors open and quickly encroached upon her husbands worktable causing said man pause.

She stared down at him for several seconds, then several more, eventually he began shifting about in discomfort and soon muttered out a greeting.

"Good evening Narcissa, I suspect that you had-"

She cut him off viciously, how could this man be so goddess damned foolhardy?!

"-Are you a fucking moron?"

Well as far as non sequiturs go...

Lucius was stunned at his wife vulgarity and it took him a moment to respond, "Narcissa I do not know that which you refer to but-"

Narcissa raised a hand, extended a finger, then pointed it at her husband, "Do you have any idea what a Horcrux is?"

Brows furrowing the blonde man tilted his head to the side a moment before shaking it slowly in a confused negative.

This only seemed to make matters worse as Narcissa walked away from him and began pacing whilst swearing in French. Eventually, she turned back to her husband and smiled darkly as she continued on.

"A Horcrux is a soul anchor, the end result of some very dark rituals that literally shatter one's soul and allow them to imbue the fragment into an inanimate object to keep them forever bound to the mortal plane. Broken and unredeemable yes, but functionally immortal."

Lucius paled at that as he gasped out, "That...that is...that is horrendous!"

"Indeed," Narcissa demurred as she continued to prowl about their room, soon she turned back to Lucius, her smile as warm as the fathomless empty void found between stars.

"You planted your Lord's horcrux on an eleven year old girl, who nearly had her soul devoured as she followed its orders to release a Basilisk in a school our son was attending. The only reason it didn't end in tragedy was because my protégé has functioning deductive reasoning and a suicidal urge to protect the innocent. So, you nearly killed our son , put every child of proper magical bearing in Britain at risk of death, and in turn very nearly consigned us all to a lifetime luxurious stay at Azkaban at _best_ if you had been caught."

There was dead silence for a time, then eventually Lucius asked, "So...the couch?"

Narcissa snorted in disgust as she turned away from him, "Get a hotel room, I'm the Lady of this house now. I have no idea if I can ever forgive you for what you have done. Frankly, that is up to you, _husband._ "

With that she waved dismissively and prowled out of the room, leaving a flabbergasted Lucius in her wake.


	5. How to Deal With Personal Demons

**My alarm went off two hours early and I have no idea why, it is quite vexing. Regardless another chapter, so do enjoy.**

 **OH! I edited the hell out of last chapter so those who read it the first day it was published might want to go over it again, anywho I gotta get ready for work so I'll go over this with a fine tooth comb in about twelve hours.**

 **If you liked, loved it, hated it, lemme know, take care all!**

* * *

Lady Narcissa Malfoy awoke to an empty bed, sitting up she huffed to herself realizing her husband must have gotten up early to continue his endless politicking and it wasn't until she was half way to the loo she remembered the night before.

She had kicked her husband out of his own home the night before because the idiot had released the magical equivalent of a hydrogen bomb in the school their son attended.

Sighing as she shook her head she readied for the day ahead of her and gave orders to the elves to see to Draco's needs but not to let him leave the estate, owl anyone, or to go flying.

Honestly she just was not in the mindset to deal with undoing all the damage Lucius had done to their son's personality at the moment and desperately needed a distraction, she needed to talk to someone refreshing, who actually thought things through and was not afraid to say what they thought needed to be said.

Making sure her hair was in order, her robes were straightened and her makeup was perfect, Narcissa grabbed a pinch of floo powder, stated "The Leaky Cauldron", and tossed it into the fireplace. A moment later she stepped through the emerald flames to go visit her favorite cousins.

* * *

Lady Harriet Potter woke up to a face full of soft black fur which very nearly caused her a sneezing fit, but instead of recoiling she snuggled a bit closer to Padfoot as he let out a light whimper in his sleep. Holding her godfather as his nightmares tried to drown him in sorrow she couldn't help but think that most people would find their situation highly inappropriate.

Not that she gave a fuck what anyone thought about her personal life regardless.

What it boiled down to was that Sirius and Harriet had a _**lot**_ of personal demons to deal with, he with his illegal decade long stay at Casa de Azkaban and she with the shit show that was her life before and after Hogwarts. So taking the personal comfort of knowing you were holding the only real family you had left and that they cared as much for you as you did them well... They'd take what they could get.

Plus the fact that the middle aged man of the pair was in the form of a warm hairy dog while getting cuddled by his teenage goddaughter made things significantly less creepy for all parties involved.

Even _if_ her best friend would occasionally quote from 'Lolita' just to fuck with her. Harriet had by many peoples standards been a definite negative influence on Hermione's sense of humor, and she couldn't be prouder for it.

Releasing her hold on the mutt Harri sat up with a stretch and a yawn before reaching for the inns menu quickly ordering breakfast, soon followed with waking her godfather via a cup of water to the face.

Padfoot gave her a deadpan, rather soaked glare before shifting back to Sirius and grumbled about needing a shower as he grabbed a change of clothes and stumbled off to the loo leaving his smirking daughter behind as she dug into her eggs. Twenty minutes later he returned with his long hair still dripping wearing a Beatles t-shirt and cargo pants as he plopped down in his seat and began to eat his breakfast.

This had more or less been Harriets life for the past year when it came to her godfather, although at Hogwarts they had to have Dobby apparate Padfoot between his 'kennel' at Hagrid's hut, the kitchens, and the girls dormitory to pull it off. It'd be less effort in a few months when she finally managed to find her animagus form.

While a bird would be a lot more useful she was kind of secretly hoping she ended up being a bear or wolf, mauling the shit out of Death Eaters sounded so entertaining, and-

"Stop fantasizing about destroying your enemies and eat your breakfast pup," Sirius stated while rolling his eyes before turning back to the paper in his hands.

Harri pouted at that a bit, only Sirius and Hermione ever caught on to her slightly more sadistic tendencies and their admonishments couldn't be ignored because they knew _she_ knew they were right.

Having people close to you who understood how your mind worked was both brilliant, and a bit tedious.

Dressing for the day Harri was considering what to do when there was a knock on the door, opening she grinned broadly as Narcissa Malfoy stood before her in all her beautiful blonde glory.

"Cissa! Come in come in, how are you doing today?"

Accepting the invitation with a demure nod she entered the room while giving a faint wave to Sirius who just raised his teacup to her before turning back to the newspaper. She needed a distraction, something that she knew would occupy her entire day, so Narcissa dug through everything she had learned from the girl yesterday along with her son's ramblings to come to a decision.

"Hello Harri, I'm glad to see you've taken to your new apparel so well, you look radiant if I may say so."

Harri blushed lightly at the compliment as she smoothed out nonexistent wrinkles in her dress, "Well like Sirius always says if you've got it flaunt it."

Cissa let out a light chuckle at that while nodding slowly, "It's a family philosophy we have abided by for generations and I'm happy to say you are pulling it off splendidly my dear."

Harriet was full blown scarlet now which Narcissa thought was adorable but she decided to take some pity on the girl by changing the subject.

"So as far as I understand it your best friend is a bit of a reclusive bookworm and doesn't take much pride in her own looks, would that be a fair assessment?"

The topic change, and someone being judgmental of Hermione, caused Harri to go rigid, her eyes narrowing, and her fingers twitch for her wand. Narcissa was honestly a bit jealous, she had no friends that would immediately go on the defensive like this for her, the muggleborn girl was certainly lucky.

"If you were to paint with broad strokes, perhaps, why?"

Narcissa smiled at the lack of outright rejection as she nodded to the younger witch, "Because if one is to make all respect her station in life those most closely associated with her must do their best to not embarrass her. I am taking it your friend knows just as little about our society as you, yes?"

Harriet considered this a moment before giving a *kinda* shake of her hand.

"Kinda sort of, she knows the raw data points sure but no one has explained anything to her really, like I said yesterday we're both kind of in the dark when it comes to magical society."

"Excellent! Then you shall take me to her and we shall do for her what I did for you yesterday. It shall be a day of cultural enlightenment and-"

Harri interuptered her with a grin, "-And a lot of shopping?"

Narcissa grinned in return, "Precisely!"

Hermione was going to hate this so much, Harriet couldn't help but let out a slightly maniacal giggle at the thought which caused Sirius to glance up and stare at her fondly.

He hadn't quite figured out who was the Prongs or Padfoot of his goddaughter's group of friends, but it was pretty obvious it was either her and Hermione in either spot. Which meant unending loyalty, and an equally unending desire to fuck with the others head for personal amusement.

Chuckling he waved to the two witches while simply stating, "Have fun!" and left them to it.

* * *

Hermione Granger was for once not reading or studying, rather she was attempting to put her thoughts and feelings down on parchment under the imperious gaze of her best friends snowy owl.

Hormones were, to her detriment, one of the most game changing thing she had ever encountered and it had all been driving her batty for over a year now.

Innocent little gestures that meant nothing before suddenly had her questioning everyones motives, idle comments that had been a bit harsh now felt scathing, and feelings for certain people had just become downright confusing.

To put it bluntly and rather coarsely, being a teenager outright _sucked_.

Staring down at the still blank parchment she was startled out of her reverie when she heard the doorbell go off, glad for the distraction she quickly opened the front door and found herself facing two absolutely gorgeous women.

Eyes widening she took in the older blonde first, then shifted her gaze to the ravenette who was smirking at her openly. Locking gazes with her emerald green eyes it only took Hermione a moment to put two and two together.

"Harri!?" She squeaked out in shock.

Said girl smirked coyly as she performed a brief curtsy, "At your service my lady."

She was stammering at that little revelation, "Yo-yo-you're beautiful!"

Harriet's smirk turned into a full on grin at that, "I know right? Your parents home, got anything going on, how's Hedwig?"

Shaking her head Hermione quickly replied, "They are at work, no I have no previous engagements, and she is just fine, if a little bored. I don't think she is happy that we have the option to use the telephone to talk to each other, she may feel neglected."

Nodding at that she gestured towards the blonde woman beside her, "This is the Lady Narcissa Malfoy, my cousin, new friend, and keeper of confidence of the most Pad Footed one, and we have come here on a mission of great importance."

The name Malfoy immediately put her on the defensive but Harriet's self assurance made sure she did not jump to conclusions, "What would that mission be?" she asked cautiously.

Narcissa pulled her forward as Harriet closed the door and grinned down at her brightly, "Why, your makeover of course!"

Eyes widening in horror Hermione had no time to run as the trio portkeyed to the magical shopping district of Paris.

* * *

 **Honestly I think kidnapping Hermione is the only way Harri would ever get her best friend to endure what she had at the hands of the shopaholic Cissa.**


	6. She Isn't My Girlfriend, Really, Shutup

**INSOMNIA! Regardless, this chapter kinda made me think of the extended family and what they went through, and what they must be going through now that it is obvious that the core family is reuniting but isn't being public about it.**

 **Kinda makes you think about what is actually important to us yeah?**

 **I have to be awake in three hours so read and enjoy my friends.**

* * *

Mia was annoyed with her and Harri accepted that for what it was for the time being really. Honestly she would be annoyed too if their roles had been reversed so she would have to be an extremely dull witted hypocrite for calling her best friend out on being a bit of a bitch at the moment.

Still, not talking to her or Cissa after they had gotten her some rather nice shoes and a slinky white dress was quite rude, and Harri was getting slightly annoyed with her best friend for resisting so much against something that would only benefit her in the future.

It wasn't until they entered a spa and the woman running it hadn't even spoken a word before pointing her wand at Hermione's front teeth to shrink them down to size, that she finally deigned it necessary to speak.

"What the bloody hell was that?!" Hermione spat out in anger, the worker not pausing as she pushed her into a chair and quickly threw a full body apron over her as she pulled her to the wash basins.

"Something that should have been done the first week you were introduced to the magical world," Narcissa stated with a casual shrug. "In my day such physical imperfections were removed from muggle-borns as soon as possible, as to avoid being singled out by the pure-blood students. I have no idea why that has gone out of style really... Dumbledore truly baffles me at times."

Hermione, nor Harriet for that matter knew what to say to that as the brunette was leaned back and her hair brought beneath the sink's tap. Still annoyed, if not actually angry, Hermione was soon released from her stylist an hour later and she couldn't help staring into the mirror in utter shock.

She had always considered herself homely, at best the girl next door, at worst the beaver faced bint her muggle schoolmates mocked her to be. Seeing the young _woman_ staring back at her with even teeth, glittering chocolate brown eyes and wavy swept back brunette hair, she felt utterly speechless.

She didn't even notice Harriet standing behind her, until the taller teen wrapped her arms around her waist and leaned her head around her shoulder to gently kiss her cheek.

"To think you thought I was beautiful, whatever is Ron going to say when he realizes his two best friends are actually drop dead gorgeous witches?"

Still stunned from the image before her, along with the kiss from her best friend, Hermione could only giggle a bit at that, "He will probably either shrug it off as nothing or run away screaming."

Harri snickered at that burying her face into Hermione's bare shoulder causing the older girl to blush brightly in the process.

"Goddess you're right, it'll be one extreme or the other won't it? We should probably have Sirius waiting in the corner with a camera yeah?"

Hermione didn't trust herself to speak as her throat dried out so she just nodded in turn, before managing to grind out a response. "I think as Marauders it would very well be our duty to do so."

Releasing Hermione, much to said girl's annoyance, she grabbed her hand and pulled her along as they continued following Narcissa, who was paying off the cashier at the moment. Hermione shuffled around a bit but eventually managed to ask what had truly been bothering her most of the morning and noon.

"Mrs. Malfoy, why... why are you doing this for me?"

Narcissa finished her transaction before meeting Hermione's gaze evenly, "First of all it is _Lady_ Malfoy if we are to be formal, which we are not. Please just call me Cissa, you are Harri's best friend and I consider her my equal thus you are as well."

Hermione only blushed deeper at that, but quickly nodded as she muttered, "Of course Cissa!"

Nodding she gestured for the two younger witches to follow her as she prowled out of the spa and back out to the shopping district proper, "As for why I'm doing this? That's fairly simple."

Her smirk turned feral as she noticed a rather expensive boutique that sold undetectable expanded space clutches perfect for any occasion.

"My idiot husband dropped a Weapon of Mass Destruction in your school, that my _son_ was in attendance of keep in mind, and got you caught in the crossfire. I can only guess what my young apprentice here would have done if you had actually been killed rather than only petrified. But I guarantee it would have been...memorable..."

"I would have killed _everyone_ ," Harriet spat out and both Hermione and Narcissa glanced back to see her emerald green eyes burning in rage and the area around her frosting over. A trill of...oh God...arousal, ran up Hermione's spine as Narcissa nodded once in return.

"Quite likely, you are far too like your Grandmother to take such a slight without demanding recompense. Regardless the Malfoy family owes you a debt, and so I am repaying a small part of that with my husband's money. The irony of paying for a muggle-born's makeover and wardrobe with the Noble House of Malfoy's gold amuses me enough that I will just ignore the bill at the end of the day."

Hermione's face took on the quality of a rather playful sphinx, as she wrapped her arms around Harriet causing said girl to shiver while meeting Narcissa's gaze evenly, "Does that include bookstores?"

Harri went rigid and met Narcissa's gaze trying her best to convey that this was not a _good_ idea.

It was the _worst_ idea.

Ever.

Instead the older witch just smirked and nodded once towards the brunette.

"But of course," before Harri could do anything to convey her sense of utter betrayal, Hermione had wrapped her hands around her right and began dragging her down the street clearly on a mission.

"Where the hell are you dragging me Mia!"

Hermion rolled her eyes at that as she quickly side stepped a centaur that she gave a proper head bow to, "You really have no right asking that considering what you pulled earlier today, but seriously just pay attention to the street signs and you'll figure it out."

Harri scoffed at that as she shot a bemused Narcissa a sharp look, "I speak French perfectly but I can't read it worth shite. Something Hermione's gotten on my case about for awhile now."

"You learned every romance language from a _snake!_ Just because you can't cheat learning how to write it, doesn't mean you shouldn't bother learning it!"

Harri just grinned at that, as she wrapped her arms around Hermione and spoke in parseltongue, " _I'm sssorry my dear ssshould I truly limit myssself for the plebeiansss in my life?"_

Hermione paused and shivered in her grasp while Harriet smirked in victory, Narcissa just rolled her eyes, wondering when the pair would just shag each other and stop playing all these games.

"Very well, what about your wands?"

Both witches froze at that, and turned to meet her arctic gaze with critical eyes, "What about our wands?" they asked in tandem.

Yes, because _that_ wasn't unsettling in the slightest.

"I mean what have you done to acquire untraceable wands?"

The pair of witches gasped, went rigid, grinned, and exchanged sidelong glances before turning back to her, "We can do that?!" the duo asked in excitement. Narcissa could only nod as she gestured for the pair to follow her, this was seriously turning out to be a long weekend.

It took six hours but eventually Mademoiselle Noir had completed their wands, Hermione had acquired a willow wand with a unicorn hair core, while Harriet had gained a blackthorn wand with a thunderbird tail feather.

Mademoiselle Noir called it the 'Boom Stick', meant for powerful destructive magic and little else.

Harri's elated cackling annoyed Mia and Cissa within minutes.

Eventually the trio of beautiful and done up witches made their way to the Leaky Cauldron, ignoring Tom the owner, and entered Harriet's room where Sirius had already made up a massive dinner in preparation for their return.

"So, who wants the cheddar cheese sauce potatoes?"

Before anyone could speak, Harriet was sitting before Sirius with her plate extended, "I'm first up Dogfather, don't be gentle."

Sirius broke out laughing as he dropped a massive dollop of cheesy potatoes on his daughters plate shaking his head slowly, "Of course sweety, now, moving on! Mia, Cissa! What would you lovely ladies like!?"

If anyone bothered to ask on that night, it was the first time in a long time that the House of Black truly began to heal.

It was a night that Tom Riddle and Albus Dumbledore would eternally regret, for the lines of family had been firmly drawn, and alliances were set.


	7. Unwanted Revelations

**Written in 45 minutes, probably needs editing, please enjoy!**

* * *

The last week had been, if he were to be honest with himself, one of the most stressful weeks in his entire life which was saying something really. The most stressful had been the week following his graduation at Hogwarts, due to his father forcing him to take the Dark Mark in his stead from the Dark Lord quickly followed by his marriage to his betrothed not a day later.

Pretending that he had been put under the imperius curse once said Dark Lord had blown himself up had not been stressful in the slightest though, rather it had been cathartic. Sure, he disliked mudbloods and despised muggles but Lucius Malfoy had been more than content to just sneer at them from afar while sipping wine and be done with it there.

He had no desire to be branded like livestock with a tattoo that looked like it had been designed by an emo fourteen year old, and getting sent out to terrorize people he would have never otherwise interacted with was just insult added to injury. He had no desire to go out raping and murdering muggles just because he could, at the very least he could say he hadn't actually participated considering his wife was a vengeful Black, but he did have to at least attend the revels.

The screams, ugh, he tried to ignore his near impulsive shuddering

Moving on he most assuredly had no desire to push forth that monsters ideals after his fall, so why the bloody hell had he planted that diary on Weasley's daughter nearly two years ago? The implications terrified him and he knew he wouldn't like the answer.

Namely, that he had either been so mentally weak willed that the book his father entrusted him with had overpowered his occulamancy barriers, or even more concerning the Dark Mark had given it a back door to force him to put it into play once touching it.

So, like all powerful men confronted with something that they didn't wish to think about he had pushed it aside, trying to forget the terror it had inflicted on his Alma Mater, that he had put his son in danger, and that he had been outwitted by a twelve year old girl.

A twelve year old girl that was considered the hero of their nation that he had tried to murder in sight of everyone in retribution for tricking him into freeing a bloody worthless _house elf_.

Lucius pinched the bridge of his nose and not for the first time lamented his father's association with that sadistic psychopath and how even after the monster's death he still affected all those he had touched. He knew he was smarter than that, but whenever anything related to Harriet Potter popped up he just...lost control.

Oddly enough, that gave him some reassurence to his own sanity really. Whatever Voldemort had done to him when he had been marked twisted his emotions to try and destroy the girl who had destroyed him, and thus knowing the problem now existed he could ignore it.

Because, at the moment his magic was screaming that he go out and murder a teenage girl for reasons he really did not even begin to care about, and knowing that ignoring those orders spited the bastard who had tainted him with a soul brand hardened his resolve further.

In the end, his own pride, arrogance, and yes, love for his wife were enough to at the very least resist the Dark Lord's influence, and allow him time to reflect.

Glancing at the TV in the corner of the muggle bar he had found himself in he eventually snarled out, "Oh come on that is obviously a foul! Red card the bastard!"

The other drunken men watching the football game with him cried out in agreement as he seethed to himself, seriously cleating was cheating.

* * *

After binge shopping for everything from books, shoes, a sword, and lingerie the week long excursion finally came to an end when the younger pair of the trio of witches got their Hogwarts letters.

Neither of them were really surprised by the contents of said letters, they both had taken the same electives in the end after all. Namely Arithmancy, Runes, and Creatures, and the DADA books were actual text books like with Lupin rather than the shite Lockhart had them buy so no complaints there. What confused them both was the dress robes.

"I...don't understand, why would dress robes be mandatory?" Harri asked as she glanced over to Cissa and Sirius who were themselves looking through a large amount of paperwork that had recently begun showing up from Gringotts. She really should investigate that, something was just off about it and she felt like it would affect her in some way down the line.

Harri's train of thought was knocked off track as Cissa replied, "Oh it's for the Triwizard Tournament, there is traditionally a Yule Ball involved with it thus the dress robes."

Harri gaped at that while Hermione made a choking noise beside her, eventually she managed to grind out, "Triwizard tournament?"

Narcissa glanced up and met her gaze while nodding, "Quite, it's been in the planning stage for years now I'm actually surprised they finally got it off the ground honestly."

There was silence for a few moments before Mia spoke up, "The Triwizard tournament, that had been shut down for centuries due to the last one ending with all the champions, all but one judge, and half the audience getting killed in the first task, is not only being brought back, it is being held at Hogwarts?"

Sirius and Narcissa glanced up from the legal documents they had been reading when they both paled and glanced to the completely horrified Harriet as she placed a hand to her mouth and began to gag.

"Oh god I'm going to die," with that she ran to the loo and threw up in the toilet.

As familiar as all three present were with her past, they had no idea what to really say at this point since...well... Potter luck all but guaranteed her unwilling involvement.

Narcissa glanced to the half opened door as Hermione rushed in to watch over her friend when she glanced over to Sirius, "Would it be a bad time to mention that I don't think she's quite cottoned on to the fact that she'll be put on full display of high society at the end of August? That if she doesn't attend the Ministries ball it would be such a social faux pas that it would at best be labeled political suicide?"

As the retching noise from the loo grew louder Sirius winced and simply nodded as he replied, "Lets...wait till tomorrow for that revelation... I am her legal guardian, so even as an escaped prisoner do you think I could transfer her to oh I don't know... Anywhere but Britain?"


End file.
